Ann Univ Ferrara (2008) 54:95106

DOI 10.1007/s11565-008-0036-2
Fundamental solutions in the theory of microuids
Ludovico Nappa
Received: 22 November 2007 / Accepted: 25 January 2008 / Published online: 8 March 2008
Universit degli Studi di Ferrara 2008
Abstract This paper is concerned with the theory of non-heat-conducting microu-
ids. We consider a specialized microuid continuum theory in which the micromo-
tions consist of the intrinsic rotations and stretch. First, we establish a representation
of Galerkin type for the solutions to the eld equations. Then, we derive the funda-
mental solutions for the differential system governing the motion in the case of steady
vibrations.
Keywords Microuids Microstretch uids Galerkin representation Fundamental
solutions
Mathematics Subject Classication (2000) 76A02 35C99 35A08
1 Introduction
The theory of microuids was rst introduced by Eringen [10] in order to study uids
whose microelements can deform independently from their centroidal motions. The
theory has been the subject of an enormous number of investigations. Various reviews
of the subject have been presented by Eringen [7, 9], Eringen and Kafadar [12], Ariman
et al. [1] and Brulin [4].
The mathematical difculties encountered in attempting to apply a general micro-
continuum approach to real ow problems led to consider specialized theories. The
theory of micropolar uids with stretch, a subclass of the simple microuids, was
developed by Eringen [8] to encompass that class of uent microcontinua in which the
L. Nappa (B)
Dipartimento di Costruzioni e Metodi Matematici in Architettura,
Universit degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Forno Vecchio, 80134 Naples, Italy
e-mail: nappa@unina.it
1 3
96 Ann Univ Ferrara (2008) 54:95106
microelements can uniformly stretch or contract so that intrinsic extensional motions
are possible in addition to the usual rotational motions. Eringen [11] has extended
this theory to include heat conduction and dependence of constitutive equations on
the microinertia tensor. The intended applications of the theory are to suspensions in
viscous uids, bubbly uids, blood and liquid crystals. In [11], the theory is illustrated
with the solution of the problem of acoustical waves in bubbly uids. The dispersion
relations are in agreement with the results of Van Wijngaarden [15]. Other applications
of the theory are presented in [2, 3, 13].
In this paper we consider the theory of non-heat-conducting microstretch uids. In
Sect. 2 we derive the linear theory appropriate to small departure from an equilibrium
state. With a view toward a treatment of the problem of concentrated body forces,
we establish in Sect. 3 a representation of Galerkin type for the solutions to the eld
equations. Representations of this type for micropolar uids have been presented in
[14]. In Sect. 4 we use the Galerkin representation to determine the fundamental
solutions for the differential system governing the motion of a microstretch uid in
the case of steady vibrations.
2 Basic equations
The space under consideration is an Euclidean three-dimensional point space. We
refer the motion of a continuum to a xed system of rectangular Cartesian axes. We
shall employ the Euler representation and usual summation and differentiation conven-
tions. Latin subscriptsunless otherwise speciedare conned to the range (1,2,3),
summation over repeated subscripts is implied and subscripts preceded by a comma
denote partial differentiation with respect to the corresponding spatial coordinate. In
what follows we use a superposed dot to denote the material derivative with respect
to the time t.
We consider the theory of microstretch uids and assume that the heat conduction
phenomena are absent.
The local form of the law of conservation of mass is

t
+ di v (v) = 0, (2.1)
where is the mass density at time t, and v is the velocity vector eld. We restrict our
attention to microisotropic uids. In this case the law of conservation of microinertia
is
j
t
+ j
,s
v
s
2 j = 0, (2.2)
where j is the microinertia and is the microstretch velocity. The equations of motion
are given by
t
j i, j
+ f
i
= v
i
,
m
j i, j
+
irs
t
rs
+ L
i
=
i
,

j, j
s + l = .
(2.3)
1 3
Ann Univ Ferrara (2008) 54:95106 97
Here, t
i j
is the Cauchy stress tensor, m
i j
is the couple stress tensor,
i
is the microstress
vector, f
i
is the body force, L
i
is the body couple, l is the scalar body load, s is the
scalar microstress function and
i j h
is the alternating symbol. Moreover,
i
is the
microrotation inertia per unit mass and is the microstretch inertia per unit mass. If

i
is the microrotation rate then we have [11]

i
= j
_

i
+ 2
i

_
, =
1
2
j
_
+
2

2
3

i
_
. (2.4)
The constitutive equations are
=

(, j ) , t
i j
=
i j
+ s
i j
, s = p + h,
t
i j
= (
1
d
rr
+
0
)
i j
+ (
1
+
1
) d
i j
+
1
d
j i
,
m
i j
=
0

i j s

,s
+
1

rr

i j
+
1

j i
+
1

i j
,

i
= a
0

,i
+ a
1

irs

rs
, h = b
0
+ b
1
d
rr
,
(2.5)
where is the free energy and , p, d
i j
and
i j
are dened by
=
2

, p = 2j

j
,
d
i j
= v
j,i
+
j ir

r
,
i j
=
j,i
.
(2.6)
The constitutive coefcients
0
,
1
, . . . , b
1
are functions of and j. In the case of
non-heat-conducting uids the entropy inequality reduces to
t
i j
d
i j
+ m
i j

i j
+ 3h + 3
i

,i
0. (2.7)
Let us derive the linearized version of the theory of non-heat-conducting micros-
tretch uids. We assume that there exist an equilibrium state of the uid in which
the density and the microinertia have the uniform values
0
and j
0
, respectively. In
what follows we assume that the motion takes place under isothermal conditions. We
introduce the notations
=
0
, = j j
0
. (2.8)
We assume that , , v, and are small, i.e., =

, =

, v
i
= v

i
,

i
=

i
, =

where is a constant small enough for squares and higher powers

to be neglected, and ,

, v

i
,

i
,

are independent of . To the second order, is

taken in the form
=
0
+
0
+ p
0
+
1
2
a

2
+
1
2
b

2
+ c

, (2.9)
where
0
,
0
, p
0
, a

, b

and c

are prescribed constants. Without loss of generality

we assume that
0
= p
0
= 0. It follows from (2.6) and (2.9) that
1 3
98 Ann Univ Ferrara (2008) 54:95106
= a + b, p = c + d, (2.10)
where
a =
2
0
a

, b =
2
0
c

, c = 2 j
0

0
c

, d = 2
0
j
0
b

.
Thus, the constitutive equations become
t
i j
= (a + b)
i j
+ (
1
d
rr
+
0
)
i j
+ (
1
+
1
) d
i j
+
1
d
j i
,
m
i j
=
0

i j s

,s
+
1

rr

i j
+
1

j i
+
1

i j
,

i
= a
0

,i
+ a
1

irs

rs
,
s = b
1
d
rr
+ b
0
c d,
(2.11)
where the constitutive coefcients are constants. Here we have denoted the constitutive
coefcients from (2.5) and their values in the equilibrium state by the same letters.
The Eq. (2.1) reduces to

t
+
0
v
i,i
= 0 (2.12)
and the Eq. (2.2) becomes

t
2 j
0
= 0. (2.13)
The linear forms of the equations of motion are
t
j i, j
+
0
f
i
=
0
v
i
t
,
m
j i, j
+
irs
t
rs
+
0
L
i
= 2I

i
t
,

i,i
s +
0
l = I

t
,
(2.14)
where 2I = j
0

0
.
From (2.6), (2.11)(2.14) we obtain the following equations for the functions v
i
,

i
, , and
D
1
v + (
1
+
1
) graddi vv +
1
curl
+
0
grad agrad bgrad =
0
f ,
D
2
+ (
1
+
1
) graddi v +
1
curlv =
0
L,
D
3
b
1
di vv + c + d =
0
l,

t

0
di vv = 0,

t
2 j
0
= 0,
(2.15)
1 3
Ann Univ Ferrara (2008) 54:95106 99
where is the Laplacian and
D
1
= (
1
+
1
)
0

t
,
D
2
=
1
2I

t
2
1
,
D
3
= a
0
I

t
b
0
.
(2.16)
In the linearized theory, a superposed dot will be used to denote the partial derivative
respect to the time t .
3 A solution of the eld equations
In this section we establish a solution of Galerkin type to the eld equations. In the case
of the steady motions of micropolar uids the Galerkin representations were presented
in [14]. In what follows, for convenience, we consider the system
D
1
v + (
1
+
1
) graddi vv +
1
curl
+
0
grad agrad bgrad =
0
f ,
D
2
+ (
1
+
1
) graddi v +
1
curlv =
0
L,
D
3
b
1
di vv + c + d =
0
l,

t

0
di vv =
0
q,

t
2 j
0
=
0
.
(3.1)
We introduce the notations
P = [D
1
+ (
1
+
1
) ]

t
a
0
,
M
1
= c
0
b
1

t
, M
2
= D
3

t
+ 2 j
0
d,
Z =
0

t
2 j
0
b, = PM
2
ZM
1
,
T =
_
(
1
+
1
) D
2

2
1
_
M
2

t
a
0
D
2
M
2
Z D
2
M
1
,
= D
2
+ (
1
+
1
) , W = cD
1
[ab
1
c (
1
+
1
)] ,
= b
1
Z + M
2
_
(
1
+ 2
1
+
1
)
0

t
_
.
(3.2)
1 3
100 Ann Univ Ferrara (2008) 54:95106
Theorem 3.1 Let
v = ( D
2
+ T graddi v) F +
1
curlG
+ Zgrad

H (aM
2
+ cZ) gradS (bM
2
+ dZ) gradK,
=
1
curlF
_
D
1

_
(
1
+
1
) D
1

2
1
_
graddi v
_
G,
=
_
D
1
D
2
+
2
1

_
M
1
di v

F P

H + W

S
+ (d P + bM
1
) K,
=
0
_
D
1
D
2
+
2
1

_
M
2
di vF +
0
Z H
S
0
(bD
3
+
0
d) K,
= 2 j
0
_
D
1
D
2
+
2
1

_
M
1
di vF 2 j
0
PH
+2 j
0
WS + (
0
M
1
D
3
P) K,
(3.3)
where F and G, are class C
8,5
vector elds and H, S and K are class C
4,3
vector
elds on B that satisfy the equations
_
D
1
D
2
+
2
1

_
F =
0
f,
_
D
1
D
2
+
2
1

_
G =
0
L,
H =
0
l, S =
0
q, K =
0
.
(3.4)
Then u, , , and satisfy the Eq. (3.1).
Proof It follows from (3.1) and (3.3) that
D
1
v + (
1
+
1
) graddi vv +
1
curl +
0
grad agrad bgrad
=
_
D
1
D
2
+
2
1

_
F + {T D
1
(
1
+
1
) ( D
2
T) +
2
1

+
0
_
D
1
D
2
+
2
1

_
M
1
D
4
+ a
0
_
D
1
D
2
+
2
1

_
M
2
2 j
0
b
_
D
1
D
2
+
2
1

_
M
1
} graddi vF + {D
1
Z D
4
+ (
1
+
1
) ZD
4

0
PD
4
a
0
Z + 2 j
0
bP} gradH + {
0
W D
4
(aM
2
+ cZ) [D
1
+ (
1
+
1
) ] + a 2 j
0
bW} gradS + {
0
(d P + bM
1
)
+a
0
(bD
3
+
0
d) b (
0
M
1
D
3
P)
(bM
2
+ dZ) [D
1
+ (
1
+
1
) ] gradK =
_
D
1
D
2
+
2
1

_
F, (3.5)
where we have used the notation D
4
= /t.
1 3
Ann Univ Ferrara (2008) 54:95106 101
Similarly, we get
D
2
+ (
1
+
1
) graddi v +
1
curlv =
_
D
1
D
2
+
2
1

_
G,
D
3
b
1
di vv + c + d = H,

t

0
di vv = S,

t
2 j
0
= K.
(3.6)
By (3.4), from (3.5) and (3.6) we obtain the desired result.
4 Fundamental solutions
We consider a uid which occupies the entire three-dimensional Euclidean space. In
this section we use the Galerkin representation (3.3) to determine the fundamental
solutions of the eld equations in the case of steady vibrations. We assume that
f = Re
_
f

(x) exp (i t )
_
, L = Re
_
L

(x) exp (i t )
_
,
l = Re
_
l

(x) exp (i t )
_
, q = Re
_
q

(x) exp (i t )
_
,
= Re
_

(x) exp (i t )
_
,
where is the frequency of vibration and i = (1)
1/2
. If we take
v = Re
_
v

(x; ) exp (i t )
_
, = Re
_

(x; ) exp (i t )
_
,
= Re
_

(x; ) exp (i t )
_
, = Re
_

(x; ) exp (i t )
_
,
= Re
_

(x; ) exp (i t )
_
,
(4.1)
then the eld equations reduce to a differential system for amplitudes v

and

.
We denote
F = Re
_
F

(x; ) exp (i t )
_
, G = Re
_
G

(x; ) exp (i t )
_
,
H = Re
_
H

(x; ) exp (i t )
_
, S = Re
_
S

(x; ) exp (i t )
_
,
K = Re
_
K

(x; ) exp (i t )
_
.
(4.2)
1 3
102 Ann Univ Ferrara (2008) 54:95106
Then from (3.3) we obtain the representation
v

= (A
2

1
+ Vgraddi v) F

+
1

1
curlG

i gradH

(aM + c ) gradS

(bM + d ) gradK

=
1

1
curlF

_
A
1

1

_
(
1
+
1
) A
1

2
1
_
graddi v
_
G

= i m
_
A
1
A
2
+
2
1

_
di vF

+ i P
1
H

i W
1
S

+(d P
1
+ bm) K

=
0
_
A
1
A
2
+
2
1

_
Mdi vF

+
0
H

1
S

+
0
(bA
3
+
0
d) K

= 2 j
0
m
_
A
1
A
2
+
2
1

_
di vF

2 j
0
P
1
H

+ 2 j
0
W
1
S

+(
0
m A
3
P
1
) K

,
(4.3)
where we have used the notations
A
1
= (
1
+
1
) + i
0
, A
2
=
1
2
1
+ 2i I ,
A
3
= a
0
b
0
+ i I , m = c
0
+ i b
1
,
= i
0
2 j
0
b, P
1
=
0

2
p
1
,
p
1
= a
0
i (
1
+ 2
1
+
1
) ,
M = I
2
+ 2 j
0
d + i b
0
p
2
, p
2
= i a
0
,

1
= p
1
p
2
[ m + p
2

2
+ p
1
(I
2
+ 2 j
0
d
+i b
0
)] +
0

2
_
I
2
+ 2 j
0
d + i b
0
_
,
V = [a
0
+ i (
1
+
1
)] A
2
M m A
2
+ i
2
1
M,

1
= (
1
+
1
+
1
) 2
1
+ 2i I ,
W
1
= [c (
1
+ 2
1
+
1
) ab
1
] + i c
0
,

1
= (
1
+ 2
1
+
1
) M + b
1
+ i
0
M.
(4.4)
The functions F

, G

, H

, S

and K

satisfy the equations

_
A
1
A
2
+
2
1

1
F

=
0
f

,
_
A
1
A
2
+
2
1

1
G

=
0
L

1
H

=
0
l

,
1
S

=
0
q

,
1
K

=
0

.
(4.5)
Clearly we have
A
1
A
2
+
2
1
=
1
(
1
+
1
)
_
+
2
1
_ _
+
2
2
_
,

1
= p
1
p
2
_
+
2
3
_ _
+
2
4
_
,
(4.6)
1 3
Ann Univ Ferrara (2008) 54:95106 103
where
2
1
and
2
2
are the roots of the equation

1
(
1
+
1
) y
2
+
_

2
1
+ 2
1

1
i
0

1
2i I (
1
+
1
)] y
2
0
I
2
2i
0

1
= 0 (4.7)
and
2
3
and
2
4
are the roots of the equation
p
1
p
2
y
2
+ [ m + p
2

2
+ p
1
_
I
2
+ 2 j
0
d + i b
0
) ] y
+
0

2
_
I
2
+ 2 j
0
d + i b
0
_
= 0. (4.8)
If we denote

2
5
=
2
c
1
(i I
1
) , c
1
=
1
+
1
+
1
, (4.9)
then we have

1
= c
1
_
+
2
5
_
. (4.10)
In what follows we denote by
s
, (s = 1, 2, . . . , 5), the roots with positive real
parts. We assume that
1
,
2
,
3
,
4
and
5
are distinct.
Let us assume that f

i
= f
i j
, ( j xed), L

= 0, l

= 0, q

= 0 and

= 0.
In view of (4.5) we take F

i
= F
i j
, G

= 0, H

= 0, S

= 0, K

= 0, where F
satises the equation
_
+
2
1
_ _
+
2
2
_ _
+
2
3
_ _
+
2
4
_
F = c
2
f, (4.11)
with
c
2
=

0
p
1
p
2

1
(
1
+
1
)
.
If the functions Q
j
, ( j = 1, 2, 3, 4), satisfy the equations
_
+
2
j
_
Q
j
= c
2
f, (nosum; j = 1, 2, 3, 4), (4.12)
then the function F
4
can be expressed as
F =
4

j =1
d
j
Q
j
, (4.13)
where
d
1
k
=
4

j =1( j =k)
_

2
j

2
k
_
, (k = 1, 2, 3, 4) .
1 3
104 Ann Univ Ferrara (2008) 54:95106
Now we assume that f = (x y) where is the Dirac delta and y is a xed point.
In this case from (4.12) we obtain
Q
k
=
c
2
4r
exp (i
k
r) , (k = 1, 2, 3, 4) ,
where r = |x y| . Thus we conclude that
F

i
= E
i j
, G

i
= 0, H

= 0, S

= 0, K

= 0, (4.14)
where
E =
c
2
4r
4

j =1
d
j
exp
_
i
j
r
_
. (4.15)
From (4.3) and (4.14) we get
v
( j )
i
= A
2

1
E
i j
+ V E
,i j
,
( j )
= i m
_
A
1
A
2
+
2
1

_
E
, j
,

( j )
i
=
1

ir j

1
E
,r
,
( j )
=
0
_
A
1
A
2
+
2
1

_
ME
, j
,

( j )
= 2 j
0
m
_
A
1
A
2
+
2
1

_
E
, j
.
(4.16)
If f

i
= 0, L

i
=
i j
(x y) , l

= 0, q

= 0,

= 0 then F

i
= 0, G

i
= G
i j
,
H

= 0, S

= 0, K

= 0. The function G satises the equation

_
+
2
1
_ _
+
2
2
_ _
+
2
5
_
G = c
3
,
where
c
3
=

0

1
(
1
+
1
) c
1
.
In this case we nd that
G =
c
3
4r
3

j =1
m
j
exp
_
i k
j
r
_
, (4.17)
where k

( = 1, 2) , k
3
=
5
and
m
1
j
=
3

s=1(s=j )
_
k
2
s
k
2
j
_
.
1 3
Ann Univ Ferrara (2008) 54:95106 105
From (4.3) we obtain the following solutions
v
(3+j )
k
=
1

kr j
G,
r
,

(3+j )
k
=
_
(
1
+
1
) A
1

2
1
_
G,
j k
A
1

1
G
kj
,

( j )
= 0,
( j )
= 0,
( j )
= 0.
(4.18)
We now assume that f

= 0, L

= 0, l

= (x y) , q

= 0 and

= 0. In this
case we nd that F

= 0, G

= 0, H

= , S

= 0 and K

= 0, where the function

satises the equation
_
+
2
3
_ _
+
2
4
_
=

0
p
1
p
2
.
By using the same procedure we obtain
=

0
4p
1
p
2
r
2

=1
n

exp (i

r) , (4.19)
where
1
=
3
,
2
=
4
and n
1
= n
2
=
_

2
2

2
1
_
1
.
From (4.3) we nd the solution
v
(7)
j
= i
, j
,
(7)
j
= 0,

(7)
= i P
1
,
(7)
=
0
,

(7)
= 2 j
0
P
1
.
(4.20)
In a similar way we can establish the solution corresponding to f

= 0, L

= 0,
l

= 0, q

= (x y) ,

= 0. This solution is given by

v
(8)
j
= (aM + c )
, j
,
(8)
j
= 0,

(8)
= i W
1
,
(8)
=
1
,

(8)
= 2 j
0
W
1
.
(4.21)
If we assume that f

= 0, L

= 0, l

= 0, q

= 0,

= (x y) then we obtain
the solution
v
(9)
j
= (bM + d )
, j
,
(9)
j
= 0,

(9)
= (d P
1
+ bm) ,
(9)
=
0
(bA
3
+
0
d) ,

(9)
= (
0
m A
3
P
1
) .
1 3
106 Ann Univ Ferrara (2008) 54:95106
The functions v
(s)
j
,
(s)
j
,
(s)
,
(s)
,
(s)
(s = 1, 2, . . . , 9) represent the funda-
mental solutions of the system of eld equations in the case of steady vibrations.
In the context of the non-polar theory of uids the problem of concentrated body
forces has been studied in various papers (see, e.g., [5]). In the theory of micropolar
uids, the fundamental solutions have studied in [6, 14].
References
1. Ariman, T., Sylvester, N.D., Turk, M.A.: Microcontinuum uid mechanics. A review. Int. J. Engng.
Sci. 11, 905925 (1973)
2. Aydemir, N.U., Venart, J.E.S.: Flow of a thermomicropolar uid with stretch. Int. J. Engng. Sci.
28, 12111222 (1990)
3. Aydemir, N.U.: Free convention boundary layer ow of thermomicropolar uid with stretch. Int. J.
Engng. Sci. 28, 12231233 (1990)
4. Brulin, O.: Linear micropolar media. In: Brulin, O., Hsieh, R.K.T. (eds.) Mechanics of Micropolar
Media, pp. 87146. World Scientic, Singapore (1982)
5. Drago s, L., Homentcovschi, D.: Stationary fundamental solution for an ideal uid in uniform motion.
ZAMM 60, 343346 (1980)
6. Easnaran, C.V., Majumdar, S.R.: Casual fundamental solutions for the slow ow of a micropolar uid.
Int. J. Engng. Sci. 28, 843850 (1990)
7. Eringen, A.C.: Microcontinuum Field Theories II: Fluent Media. Springer, Heidelberg (2001)
8. Eringen, A.C.: Micropolar uids with stretch. Int. J. Engng. Sci. 7, 115127 (1969)
9. Eringen, A.C.: Micropolar theory of liquid crystals. In: Johnson, J.F., Porter, R.S. (eds.) Liquid Crystals
and Ordered Fluids. Plenum, New York (1978)
10. Eringen, A.C.: Simple microuids. Int. J. Engng. Sci. 2, 205217 (1964)
11. Eringen, A.C.: Theory of thermo-microstretch uids and bubbly liquids. Int. J. Engng. Sci. 28,
133143 (1990)
12. Eringen, A.C., Kafadar, C.B. : Polar eld theories. In: Eringen, A.C. (ed.) Continuum Physics, vol.
IV, Academic Press, New York (1976)
13. Iesan, D.: On the theory of bubbly uids. Int. J. Engng. Sci. 33, 18531860 (1995)
14. Ramkissoon, H., Majumdar, S.R.: Representations and fundamental singular solutions in micropolar
uids mechanics. ZAMM 56, 197203 (1976)
15. Van Wijngaarden, L.: One-dimensional ow of liquids containing small gas bubbles. Rev. Fluid
Mech. 4, 369396 (1972)
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